Rain And Snow At Once
by skwyshi
Summary: A dark rider has been following Artorius and his Sarmatian Knights. Who is the cloaked stranger? And does he mean well?
1. Cloak and Dagger

**Authors Note:** This is my first fanfic. I'm not going to say 'be nice', rather 'I welcome constructive criticism'. The character of the dark rider (who shall, for the purposes of the story remain nameless for now) belongs to me. All else belongs to the makers of King Arthur, I just like to play with them every now and then.

* * *

Chapter 1 - Cloak and Dagger.

The day was cool and clear, fresh from recent rain as Arthur and his Knights rode light and fast to meet the Bishop and his entourage.

The men halted their horses on a hill. Along the tree line the Bishop's carriage made its way through the evergreen valley, escorted by the usual Roman Cavalry.

"As promised – the Bishop's carriage" announced Gawain.

Galahad smiled. "Our freedom, Bors'".

"Mmm… I can almost taste it" chuckled Bors.

"And your passage to Rome, Arthur" added Dagonet.

The Knights regarded the carriage and the Roman horsemen. They had been waiting for this day. Waiting for almost fifteen years. They were boys then, and now they were men. Time had passed like quicksand. Sometimes slow and heart wrenching, and other times it had passed quickly. The quicksand of time has also claimed the lives of their friends, and now only six Knights remained.

A sharp cry echoing through the clearing snapped them out of their daze. It was a sound they knew all too well. The sound of an attack.

"Woads!" yelled Tristan as the commander and his Knights lunged into action.

The attackers wasted no time. Suddenly the valley was filled with wild men in blue war paint, heading for the carriage. Romans were struck down from their horses by arrows, expertly aimed from the forest or dragged from their mounts by Woad warriors.

Arthur and his Knights charged into battle and within seconds had weapons drawn and adrenaline pumping.

Swords were wielded and flung, spears thrusted, arrows impaled and knives drawn – each knight a specialist in their chosen weapon. They felled the onslaught of Woads swiftly with brutal, precise force.

As blood seeped into the soil and the last screams faded, Lancelot wiped his fighting knives on the grass.

Unexpectedly a black arrow flew past Lancelot's ear, piercing a Woad in the neck, killing him. A woad with a knife that had been stealthily coming up behind him.

Lancelot spun to see who had come to his aid. Up on the hill was a cloaked rider on a black horse.

"Arthur" called Lancelot, gaining the attention of his commander.

Arthur looked towards Lancelot, following his gaze to the figure on the hill.

"He's been tracking us for three days" said Tristan, mounting his horse. "and he's good. Quiet. Stays downwind."

"Skilled with a bow too" stated Lancelot. "He hit his mark from the hill".

Each of the Knights considered the distance from the hill to the Woad. The marksman was indeed accomplished.

Arthur watched as the rider slipped behind the hill and then turned to Tristan.

"Tristan, ride ahead and make sure the road is clear".

* * *

"I don't kill for pleasure" leered Galahad. "Unlike some".

Tristan appeared next to the young Knight. "You should try it someday. You might get a taste for it".

Bors and Gawain snickered. As the others discussed what they were going to do after receiving their papers, Tristan dropped back to join Dagonet.

"Is the rider still following us?" muttered Dagonet.

"No" replied Tristan, shifting in his saddle. "He's in front".

Dagonet looked to Tristan with a confused expression.

Tristan motioned towards Hadrian's wall. "He's already here. The tracks lead inside".

* * *

The air smelled of strong wine and smoke. Small fires cast a yellow light onto drunken men. Romans and Knights always got on well when mixed with ale. Gawain had challenged his cousin to a game of target practice. Laughter rang out as Gawain hit the target.

"I told you I could get it!" he said, louder than was necessary.

"Now, little cousin! See if you can hit the mark!" said Gawain as he sat back down, his drink in one hand and his knife in the other.

Galahad threw his knife. His shot fared poorer than the benchmark and Gawain blew a raspberry. Tristan quietly threw his blade, hitting the end of Galahad's knife.

"Tristan, how do you do that?" asked Gawain.

"I aim for the middle" replied Tristan, pointing calmly towards the target.

At that moment a black dagger flew past Galahad's shoulder, embedding itself in the end of Tristan's knife.

Galahad and Gawain spun around, instantly sober and drawing their weapons, as Tristan pulled the black dagger from his.

Gawain spoke first in an slow voice. "Who are you? And why have you been following us?"

Dagonet, Bors and Lancelot had stopped at the commotion. Their spare hands held concealed knives, at the ready.

The stranger removed the thick black cloak and stepped into the light.

* * *

**Authors Note:** I know it's a little short, but I just wanted to establish the timeline. Constructive criticism is openly welcomed and would be appreciated. 


	2. Watching and Waiting

**Authors Note:**

LilyoftheValley4 – I want to kind of work it around the fact that maybe the camera crew just skipped over my character, concentrating on the Knights themselves. A bit like history, where some bits are recorded and others are skipped. Thanks for the encouragement!

fiji-mermaid – You've got some good ideas. You should write your own King Arthur fic!

Amirra - Wow! Thanks for the great comments. Hope you like it...

Camreyn – I try not to be predictable. I usually follow my imagination and let the characters evolve. I think there are so many stories with women in it because there are more possibilities for female characters to interact with the Knights.

TheperfectCircle - Thanks for the review. Hope I don't dissapoint...

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to review. Presenting the next chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 2 – Watching and Waiting.

The Knights were edgy as the stranger moved from the shadows into the light.

Gawain and Galahad froze as Lancelot coughed and spluttered, almost choking on his wine.

The tracker was a woman.

"You weren't expecting me?" said the Lady in black with a sly smile.

As Lancelot recovered, the others stood firm. Lancelot sheathed his knife and stood. He hadn't seen her in what felt like a lifetime. But there was no mistaking her.  
"Men, this is my sister, Taryn".

The Knights wavered but did not step down.

Gawain relaxed his stance as he made out the similarities between the two.

She was as tall as her brother, and she was beautiful – dangerously so. She shared her brother's devious smile, and a head of tight, dark curls that fell to her waist.

The Knights glanced at one another and decided to lower their weapons. Lancelot then realised that the tavern had stopped. He smiled. They would soon realise she was more than a pretty face that could handle a knife.

Before Lancelot was enlisted into the Roman military, he had been teaching his little sister to knife fight and shoot a bow and arrow. He recalled the aim of the Woad from the hill.  
She had obviously been practising.

"It has been too long Lancelot," said Taryn, moving to embrace her brother.

Tristan held the ebony blade as he observed the men in the tavern. When she spoke, he could see feelings of lust cross more than one Roman soldiers face.  
Tristan was always cautious, but told himself to be more so.  
He knew from experience that people were never as they appeared.

As the lady named Taryn looked to each of the Knights in turn, Tristan could see another trait she had in common with her brother.  
There was a darkness behind her eyes.  
There was no question that she had seen battle and taken life.

As the tavern returned to its rowdy state, he introduced each Knight and they sat down. Lancelot handed Taryn his drink and Tristan placed her dagger in front of her.  
She quickly handled the knife and fitted it into the folds of her cloak.

"So, what brings you to Britain?" asked Lancelot over the din.

She turned and looked Lancelot straight in the eye.  
"Father died, Lancelot, a year past" replied Taryn slowly.  
Lancelot searched her face. He found what he was looking for – grief started to seep into her cool composure. The Knights all listened to her silently.

Taryn stared into her mug.  
"Mother joined him soon after" said Taryn, taking a steady sip of her drink.  
The news was difficult for her to tell. The wounds were still raw and she had not dealt with their death well – that much was clear. Lancelot placed his hand on his sisters', comforting her.

"I had nowhere else to go, so I set out to find you".  
Lancelot gave her a sympathetic smile. Despite her beauty it had seemed she had never been offered marriage in the years he had been gone. She was strong willed at ten, and that was fifteen years ago, so it did not surprise her brother that men were somewhat intimidated by her.

Though she hid it well, Tristan had a feeling she had skipped something, though he did not mention it. She was distant, and dismissive, even with her brother. He felt her story was too quick. What was this woman hiding?

"When I made it to Britain, I hoped you were still alive" she said.  
"I learned that you were. Your trail was not hard to find".

"What do you mean?" enquired Bors.

Taryn flashed another devious grin. "The entire South West quarter of Britain hosts tales of a dark Knight and his womanising ways".

The Knights chuckled and Gawain playfully punched Lancelot in the arm. Lancelot gave a small smile, and looked at his sister with annoyance.

It was then that Bors asked Vanora to sing. Taryn kept her gaze on her drink as she listened to the words.

"_Land of bear, and land of eagle, _

_Land that gave us birth and blessing…"_

As the song resonated through the tavern, Taryn felt Tristan watching her.

She glanced at him, expecting to see a man full of desire and longing, for that was what she was accustomed to. Instead his steady gaze made her feel uneasy.  
For once she couldn't tell what a man was thinking.  
His eyes somehow disregarded her exterior.  
She felt as though he could see right through her.

She reminded herself that she always had to watch the quiet ones.

* * *

Taryn stood noiselessly outside the stable doors where she could hear Arthur and Lancelot arguing. A final order had been issued to save a Roman family in the North from the imminent Saxon assault, and the Knights were not going eagerly.

Lancelot's voice echoed into the night. "No, I chose life! And freedom! For myself and the men!".

Taryn jumped as she felt someone behind her and whirled around, knife in hand.

Tristan was quicker, grasping her wrist mid-air.

Her heart stopped for a second. He had caught her off guard.  
She wrenched her wrist from his grip and shot him an angry expression.  
He infuriated her more by remaining passive. Taryn returned her attention to the stables when Tristan didn't move.

"Are you joining us?" he said, turning to leave. It was the first time he had spoken to her and she noted the thick accent.

She didn't answer but turned and watched him slip away into the night.

* * *

Gawain held his drink steady as he climbed the steps of Hadrian's Wall.  
The air was clearer up here, free from the world below.

Arthur had told them of their mission and he had spoken for his younger cousin. Galahad would not forgive him so easily, but Gawain hoped a nights rest would cool some steam off his anger.

Gawain placed his drink on the wall and leant on the damp bricks. Letting out a long breath, he closed his eyes. He had had too much wine and his head swirled with images of his life. It was awash with blood and battle.

The clunking of metal stirred Gawain from his thoughts. Bors was solemn as he came and stood beside him.

"Vanora isn't talking to me" said Bors as he helped himself to Gawain's cup. "I'll never understand women".

"I don't think they were meant to be understood" said Gawain chuckling.

The men grew silent as tension baited the air. In the end, Bors spoke first.

"Lancelot's sister…" Bors started, trailing off.

"Taryn" finished Gawain.

"…Taryn. If she knew where to find Lancelot as she claims, why did it take her so long to get here?"

Both men looked towards the sky as they thought about the secretive woman in black.  
She was skilful in stealth, but she could not hide everything.

* * *

**Authors Note:** So what do you think? It's my first fanfic so any constructive criticism is appreciated. 


	3. Uneasiness Lingers

**Authors Note:**

_**Warning:** Just a small note, that some of the conversations in this chapter contain sexual implication._

There are two villages that are mentioned;  
- Caerpont, that is derived from the Latin caer (fort) and pont (bridge) and  
- Selgovae, that was an actual Celtic tribe in Roman Britain.

Irishfire - I hope this isn't too 'choppy'. And I agree - a female version of Lancelot does sound like trouble! And I have to say, she's really fun to write too!

Amirra - Tension and mystery are the two mixes that I love. And a little bit of brother/sister stirring never goes astray!

amy - I know there are a lot of stories out there like this, but I hope I can throw a few twists in to spice it up a bit.

LillyoftheValley4 - I figured that the Knights wouldn't be very accepting of anyone, whether they were man or woman, so that is what I have aimed for. Hope you like this next installment...

Camreyn - I hope the parts flow a bit better in this chapter. I realised, that by following the film closely, I ended up writing myself into a bit of a corner. But have no fear - the secrets will remain veiled and so will the intentions for a while longer...

fiji-mermaid - It won't just be romance - in fact it might not be romance at all! That's the mystery - even the writer is kept in the dark! But she may be stirring up some trouble...

Kaizer - Thanks for the great review!

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to review, and an extra special thanks to ashersembrace for her support.

* * *

Chapter 3 – Uneasiness Lingers.

Gawain followed Galahad into the stables. Galahad was still fuming from the night before and had not looked his cousin in the eye.

Dagonet was already saddling his horse silently when they arrived.  
Gawain held his hand quietly on his horses grey neck and the horse flinched at the contact of his cold hands. It was a chilled morning and the air smelt of rain.  
If the weather stayed this wet, he would be glad to return to Sarmatia.

Galahad flung his saddle quickly onto his horse, spooking the animal. Galahad shot Gawain an icy expression as he mounted his horse.  
No, his cousin would not forgive him as quickly as he first thought.

He let a sigh escape him, loud enough for his cousin to hear. Gawain knew that Galahad had wanted to go home more than any of the Knights.  
Gawain took a deep breath. It was the calm before the storm.  
Just as Gawain was about to speak, Tristan, Lancelot and Bors walked into the stables.

The stable was silent. Even the horses dare not make a sound as the Knights exchanged looks of foreboding. It was almost as if the horses knew the Knights fate.  
Galahad broke the stillness, kicking his horse, coaxing it into action.

As the knights drew their weapons or saddled their horses to prepare for the long journey, Arthur appeared.  
Galahad circled his commander on his horse as he strided towards his Knights.  
It seemed, he blamed Arthur, as much as his cousin for the orders and directed his resentment towards whoever was closest.

Arthur looked towards each of the Knights in turn with an uneasiness. The Roman's expression showed that he had wished to be served his papers as much as his men.

The Bishop had joined them, toobserve the accompaniment of his secretary.  
" My trusted secretary, Horton, will accompany you" ordered the Bishop.  
Arthur did not hide his agitation as he commanded Jols to fetch the man a horse.

As the Knights mounted their horses, Taryn noisily halted her horse at the entrance to the stables. She was dressed in light armour, with a black cloak that was dusted with dew.

Lancelot moved his horse towards his sister, and then turned to Arthur.  
"Arthur, this is my younger sister, Taryn" he remarked.  
"I did not have a chance to introduce you last night" he added remembering the heated words that were exchanged between them.

The young woman smiled at the Roman as she regarded him. He was tall, striking and carried a weight of authority. He also had a look of sharpness to him, that showed he had a quick mind.

Taryn looked to Lancelot in haste. "The Saxon army has reached Caerpont".  
She steadied her restless horse and glanced at Arthur before continuing. "They will reach the wall in two days. Maybe less"

Her announcement was received with stern looks amongst the Knights.

Gawain settled into his saddle. "You rode to Caerpont in one night?" He asked in curiosity.

Taryn looked at him suddenly, as though in her hurriedness, she had only just noticed his presence.  
"No. I rode to Selgovae and received word that the attack had begun" she replied, somewhat startled.

She looked to each of the Knights before manoeuvring her horse into the centre of the stables.  
"May I accompany you?" she said, directing her request towards Arthur.

Arthur looked at Lancelot and then at Taryn and he realised by her attire that she had prepared to go with them.  
"You may" he replied curtly, shifting his weight in the saddle.

Sensing that they were eager to leave, Taryn backed up her stallion to allow the Knights to pass. She smiled at her brother as he rode out, her eyes lighting up in playfulness.  
"Now I'll get to discover if the stories of your riding prowess are true".

Lancelot glanced at Gawain with a smug expression as the Knights made their way to the gate. Taryn nudged her horse in behind Galahad's.  
"Though in the tales, they mentioned nothing of horses".

Gawain chuckled and the cocky air disappeared instantly as Lancelot grasped his sisters meaning.  
"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" Lancelot exclaimed.

Taryn looked innocently at her brother before beginning to laugh along with Gawain. Lancelot called out to Arthur jokingly. "Care to go back on your offer, Arthur?"  
Arthur looked over his shoulder and smiled. "I think you've finally met your match, Lancelot".

Arthur picked up the pace as the gates opened, and the group rode out.

* * *

The Knights and Taryn rode for a full day through the drenched, evergreen countryside. The heavy mud made swiftness difficult for their horses and Arthur had decided to move through a forest when they had encountered Woads.  
The Woads had retreated without a single arrow being released, which had left the Knights edgy.

As night approached, a deluge of saturating rain fell and the Knights made camp amongst the trees. Huddled around a small campfire, the Knights were uncommonly quiet as the rain dampened the sounds of the forest around them.  
They were unused to having a Lady in their company.

"So my dear sister, tell us how you made your way to Selgovae and back in one night?" said Lancelot, trying to lighten the soggy mood.

Taryn scraped mud off her boot with her knife before answering Lancelot.  
"You forget brother, I was born on a horse," she said matter-of-factly.  
She wiped the knife on her cloak and then slid it into the now clean boot.  
"And I was the one to instruct you in horse riding".

Lancelot gave an exasperated sigh, earning smirks from the surrounding Knights.

The moon broke through the canopy and drizzle to make Taryn's dark cloak appear a deep blue, causing her skin glow a pale shade. Its soft light made her wet black hair shine and shadowed her eyes, giving her a haunted look.

"What troubles you?" asked Gawain.

She smiled but her reply was hollow.  
"You mean besides the fact that I am alone in a dark forest, sodden with rain, in the company of seven men?"

Gawain grinned and Galahad suppressed a laugh. She had tried to hide her discomfort with humour, and Gawain decided not to push the issue of what was on her mind.

Dagonet drew his dripping cloak tighter around himself and stared at the silhouette of Lancelot's sister.  
"The only one you need to keep in check is your brother there, and it seems you handle him well enough".

Taryn's eyes shifted around the group of Knights. Being her brother made no difference. She had always been able to handle men like Lancelot. Those that were charming, overconfident, and too sure of themselves. She had shocked many a man and put them in their place.

Her eyes rested on Tristan. Men like him, however, were a different story.  
They cared not for her beauty or her wit and were harder to control.  
Men like him would not let weaknesses show or secrets slip.  
They were dangerous men.

Nodding, she bid the men goodnight and slipped into the dimness of the forest.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

Hope you liked it! As always reviews are appreciated.


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